Improvement in sheep-racks



@anni MARK s. WooDBURY, or BETHEL, VERMONT.

` Lernramtlvo. 86,485, 'dated Febmafy 2,1869. i

IN SHEP-RAKS.

The Schedule referred to :ln these Letters Patent and making part yof the salma.v

To all whom it mtl/y concern:

Be itknown that I, MARK S. WooDBURY, of Bethel,

in the county of Windsor, andState of Vermont, have invented certain Improvements in Sheep Racks, of whichthe following is a fu1l,fclear, and exact description, reference bein "had to the accompanying drawings, 'making part o this specification, in whiche Fkigure 1 is a perspective view ofmyimproved sheep- Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same. l

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line zo: oflig. 2.. Figures 4, 5, and 6, details.

The ordinary racks for feeding sheep are objectionable, for the reason that they admit of the sheep crowding eachother away from the trough or receptacle containing thehayor grain, andwhen separate stalls are provided, the sheep which is at the rear frequently strikes the one in the stall with his fore feet, in order to dis-` lodge4 him, and occupy his place, some of the sheep v being thereby deprived of theirjust proportion of food.

To overcome this difficulty is the object of the fust part of my invention, which consists in a pair of sliding `doors applied to a stall, and operated by a tilting platform, so arranged that as the animal steps upon it, the doors will approach 4each other, and' close or nearly close the rear end o f the stall, thereby preventing the entrance of another sheep,^ the one already inthe stall being thus left undisturbed while eating.

My invention also consists in a series of sliding feedboxes, for receiving the grain, in combination with a series of Vconductors and measures, or receptacles, for holding the'grain, which is liberated by means of a slide, and passes through the conductorsto the feedboxes, which are-then drawn'out simultaneously from beneath the conductors into a position accessible to the sheep, by which cnstruction I am enabled to feed a definite quantity to each animal in an expeditiousmanner, and without waste. I

My invention also consists in a sliding hopper, which is moved on suitable ways over the several measures, for the purpose of filling them expeditiously, and without waste of grain; and

My invention' furthermore consists in a device for varying the capacity of the measures, when it is desired to change the quantity of grain to be fed to each animal.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the man ner invhich I have carried it out.

In the said drawings- A A represent a series of stalls, which are separated from each other by means of slatted partitions, and are arranged, side by side, in double rows within a suitable shed or building.

Beneath the' floor B of eaeh stall is hung, at b, a tilting platform, O, the front end of which inclines upward, and projects beyond the floor B,to a point near the trough D.

To the rear end of the platform Cl(which is weighted,

stall, kand prevent its occupant from being crowded out,

or otherwise disturbed, while feeding. As soon, however, as the-animal steps backward, and removes his feet from the platform C, its rear end will drop, carrying with it the door E, the descent of which serves to raise the door G, when the animal is at liberty to leave the stall.

I will now describe themanner in which a predetermined quantity of grain is fed to each animal..

H is-:T transverse piece extending over the stalls, and having formed in it cavitiesor measures, j, arranged in pairs, (one for each sta1l,) and of such dimensions as to contain the quantity of grain required for each animal.

These measures are iilled by means of a removable hopper or box, I, which slides on the transverse piece H, being guided by the strips g on each side. e

The'bottom of the hopper I isclosed by a slide, h, so that it may be removed and filled with grain, and afterward replaced, when the slide h is withdrawn and the hopper pushed by hand over the several measures f, which are thus filled in an expeditious manner, and

vwithout vany waste.

i, iig. 4, is along slide, which extends under the sevleral measures j, andforms the bottoms thereof, this slide being provided with openings, 8, correspondingto the size of the measures f, so that when it is moved into a position to bring the openings 8 directly beneath them, (which is regulated by a stop,) their contents-will pass down into conductors K, which serve to carry the grain to a series of feed-boxes k, iigs..2, 3, and 5, all of which are simultaneously filled, by the movement of the slide t', in an expeditious manner, and Without any waste of grain.

The feed-boxes k of each row of stalls'are attached to a long slide, l, whichI fits into the trough D, and forms the bottom thereof, and thus, by moving this slide Z in the direction of the arrow, iig. 1, the boxes k of 4one row of stalls may be simultaneously drawn ont from beneath the lower ends of the conductors K, into positions accessible to the sheep within the stalls, and each animal is thus provided 4with an equal quantity of grain, as required.

After the sheep have been fed, the slides l are pushed back so as to bring the boxes k beneath the' conduct ors K, andthe measures f are then covered over by grooves c,

one4 or more slides-mz, g. 6, which fit between the guides g, and eiectually prevent any dirt or dust from passing down the conductors into the feed-boxes, which are thus kept clean, and muc-h time, which would otherwise be'oceupied in clearing them out, is therebyeoonomized.

I will now describe the manner in which the capacity of the measures fis varied, and, consequen tlyfth quantityfoigrain fed tote/ach animals' Y y short slides n are advanced or Withdrawn, and the size ofthe measures is thus varied, as required.

Between the rows'of stallsA A, is a space, L, for the reception of hay, which is' drawn out between the bars r, in the ordinary manner, by the sheep in the stalls, the hay-seed, which it is desirable not to waste,

falling into the trough D, from which it is eaten bythe' sheep;

By the employment of a. sheeprack, provided with a series of measures, slides, and feed-boxes, all arranged so that a definite quantity' of grain can be simultaneously placed before each animal along the entire row of stalls, a vast amount of time and labor is saved,

While the Waste of grain which has heretofore occurredA in feeding large docks of sheep, is entirely avoided, each animal receiving his proper proportion of food, which he is allowed to consume, without being crowded or otherwise disturbed.

What I @latinas my inventiomandaiesire tosecure;Y Y e -operating substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

Also, the sliding hopper I, in combination with the measures or cavities j', operating substantially as described. v

Also, the slides fn, in combination with the slide o, by which they are operated, for the purpose of regulating the size of the measures f, as set forth.

y vMARK S. WOODBUBY. Witnesses: z

J oHN W. HIBBARD, J omv E. ABBOTT. 

